We were apprehensive after reading the reviews but this was our favorite cruise so far. The food and service were by far the best on this ship! Go and enjoy!!
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Well, it was super smooth until we were stopped in Security. TIP: Check your baggage for any unauthorized contents leftover from other trips. My husband’s dive bag was pulled because they found bullets from his spear fish "gun." After 2 hours of interrogation we were finally cleared and on the ship!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Originally we had anytime dining but changed to assigned dining after the first night and bad service. From then on, it was an absolute joy. Our MDR wait staff was top notch and our dinner mates made the experience even more fun. The service and food were awesome!!! 8:15 / table 210. Sea day brunch was delicious but expect long waits to get service. On the other hand, port day breakfasts in the MDR did not disappoint! The service was quick and the food was cooked to order. The Lido buffet was ok - it did the trick for snacks between meals especially on the days returning from port.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Serenity always gets 5 gold stars. Mostof our free time was spent in the casino. We made a lot of deposits but won very little. The payout was the worst of any ship we've been on. The casino did gift us a plate of cookies and coupon for upgraded dinner on the last night.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We went to the play list production and comedy shows. The production shows were the best we have seen on any ship. The cast was very talented. Our favorite was 88 Keys. The comedians were in rare form as always. Both PG and R shows were equally enjoyable. The musical entertainment throughout the ship was great, especially the 3 violinists.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Raymund was our room steward and did a fantastic job. Our dinner waiters were amazing and they took great care of us every night. The MDR breakfast waiters were friendly and fast! The cocktail servers were plentiful and always pleasant throughout the ship. The Café staff was awesome - knew our name and what we wanted! One morning, very early, we were waiting for our coffee with the Hotel officer. He and my husband were talking about the other Carnival ships, specifically Paradise, which he had worked on as well, and he bought our coffee! All of the staff on the ship were extremely personable and friendly.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is older and some of the décor is funky but after a few days you really learn to appreciate it. It took us a few days to figure out which way to go after getting off the elevator but overall easy to navigate. Despite it's age, they keep it up really well and it was always very clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Plenty of room and storage space. The bed was not as comfortable as other ships but overall the room was very clean. Balcony is a must-have! TIP: Store suitcases under the bed!
Ship tip
Disregard the negative reviews. This was our fourth Carnival cruise and hands down the best one.
This is a tender port but very easy to do. The ride from the ship to port was very short. We went to Stingray City and it was awesome! We did a little shopping in port but did not buy anything - everything was very pricey! The line for the tender to get back on the ship was extremely long but moved pretty quick.
One of the most beautiful ports we visited! My sister-in-law and I did the Jolly Rancher Catamaran snorkel. The current was very strong so the trip back to the catamaran was tough and the lunch was nothing special. The sun is very intense so make sure you use sunscreen.
My husband and brother-in-law did the Two Tank Dive which they absolutely loved.
This is also a tender port and a bit more dicey. You wait in the theater until your excursion is called. The water was very rough and the trip to shore is 20-30 minutes. We did the Altun Ha Ruins excursion. Our tour guide, Yvette, was awesome. She took very good care of her Bamboo Chickens. The bus ride was only about an hour (one-way) and you get plenty of time at the ruins. The vendors were a little pushy at the end but they are just trying to make a living. Overall we really enjoyed it - once in a lifetime experience!
Party time! We did the Deluxe Beach, Catamaran Sail & Snorkel. It was super fun! Francisco and his team were incredible (boat #5). While snorkeling, the boat drifts with you so it's a short swim to get back on. Now getting on the boat can be tricky, especially in rough waters. I have the scars to prove it! The staff does a great job helping everyone and made sure we always had a cocktail. The draft beer was by far better than the 'ritas. The beach was beautiful - we basically sat at one of the tables and enjoyed the atmosphere and free drinks. After the excursion we went to Senior Frogs and well, the rest I don't remember other than dancing and congo lines! Need I say more....
We took our time getting off the ship since our family had a 9PM flight so we were in no hurry. You don't have to fill out a declaration unless you purchased more than $800. of goodies. I highly recommend getting a porter especially if you have a lot of bags!
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